Power actuated trailer load feeder and spreader



July 29, 1952 A. P. s.- GILMORE 2,605,106

' POWER ACTUATED TRAILER LOAD FEEDER AND SPREADER IN VEN TOR.

5 A. P. i I'UART GILMORE ATTORNEY July 29, 1952 I A. P. s. GILMORE 2,605,106

POWER ACTUATED TRAILER LOAD FEEDER AND SPREADER.

Filed Oct. 1, 1948 v s Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 7

I I '76 77 :79/76' 54 I76 /76' 52 u 80 V g /7? E 32 FIG. 8

IN V EN TOR.

A. P. STUART GlLMORE T LW 51M ATTORNEY July 29, 1952 A. P. s. GILMORE 2,605,106

POWERACTUATED TRAILER LOAD FEEDERAND SPREADER Filed Oct. 1, 194a a Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. IO 64 t 5 f m W r75;

I 1% N 1 /7a FIG. ll

INVENTOR. AP; STUART GFLMORE ATTORNEY Patented July 29, 1952 UNITED STATES POWER ACTUATED TRAILER LOAD FEEDER AND SPREADER Abiel P. Stuart Gilmore, Acushnet, Mass., assignor of one-half to Raymond A. White, Acushnet,

Mass.

Application October 1, 1948, Serial No. 52,133

I am now employed, I came to the conclusion,

that there was no manure spreader on the market capable of being loaded by power satisfactorily;

such as by a caterpillar driven automatic power shovel, and with this end in view I developed my improved trailer load feeder, the subject matter of this invention, adapted to be power loaded.

An object of my invention, thereforeis to provide a power actuated trailer load feeder of rugged enough construction and otherwise adapted to be loaded by power rapidly and one which will function to dispense its contentsrapidly under power.

In developing'the powerfuldrive necessary to feed the contents thereof rapidly under power, I have developed a strong powerful drive which can selectively drive either the heaters-for spreading'or the apron forfeeding or both together,

which provide another object of my invention,

namely, the provision of a combination trailer load feeder and spreader, which can be selectively used as a feeder alone or as a combined feeder and spreader.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device which on removal of the heaters can I be used as a feeder alone, or which, if the transmission is brought into neutral, can be used as a spreader alone, in case the beaters should become clogged up.

A further object of my invention is to employ forthe first, time in devices ofthis description,

at speed change transmission, so that the rate.

of feeding thereof may be selectively varied, also, a device which will insure that the heaters perform at all times when the apron is brought into action to prevent clogging'of the heaters in use.

In my experience with power feeders and spreaders', I have found that with the intermittentcog and, wheel drive'devi'ces for the apron and the other drive mechanismemployed thereon,.t hat quite often the apron would become jammed and ,the drive mechanism; or'conveyor wouldbreak, and a-further object of my invention is to so design my. improved drive mechanism with certain safety features, so that nothing will break and to this end instead of providing a positive chain drive for the main drive shaft, I provide a friction V, ;be1t drive which will slip under excessiveloads, andI also provide a break pin; in; the apron drive which will break at a 5 Claims. (01. 275-6) single point and only require the replacemen' "of another simple break pin instead of replacingQa' major part of the drive mechanism.

A further object of my invention is to provide, a novel type of lower beater or'spreader In" the prior art it was thought necessary to have an upper beater and a lower beater for shredding the manure and an extra beater in rear thereof to function as a spreader. I'preferably construct my improved lower beater, so that the extra spreading beater may be eliminated and so that the lower beater functions both as the shredding and spreadingbeater due to my -ii'ovel' construction. For this purpose,'1 emmoyarbws of Spades an led respectively to the right a tothe left to throw the material laterallyas war as rearwardly and so angledas to present sharp front surfaces capable of shredding the manure prior to casting it. A further object of my invention is to provide rearwardly tilted spades to throw small amounts of material in the most; efficient directions'for the optimum amount of even spreading.

A further: feature of my invention is toaso construct my beater that enough material willibe urged by the upper beater over the lower beater to throw sufiicient manure immediately the rear of the central portion of the lower beater andso that there will be no obstructions'finfth e path of; themanure thusthrown I preferably mount thewspades on the heater in two series,

, ne f which isthe antipode of the Othensothat there will be sufiicient space centrally of the lower beater to feed material directly behindgthe center of the beater.

A further object of my invention to prev'id'e spades of inherently strong construction which do both the shredding casting spreading, and which are so shaped and. constructed "of s s re t ihaifl i f l am -1 9 hittifigl any slight obstruction in use, the prior art merely;

showing teeth which became readily bent or' broken on striking any such obstacle;

.These and such other objects of my'in ntioii as may hereinafter appear ill be best ga ne stoodfroma description of an embodimentthe of such, as is shown in the accompanying dr ,1 In ,the drawings Fig, 1 is a perspective; View of a power actuated trailer load feeder spreader constructed in accordance withmy in vention, partially broken away to.sh9W.- the con veyor, and connectedto a motive power vehicle, such ,;as ,a tractor shown in dotted-lines.

Fig. 2 is a plan .viewthereof.

and the adjacent portion of the body showing its detachable drive means.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view through the,

detachable splined coupling for joining the lower beater shaft to its drive means, taken alongthe line 66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is a side elevation of my improved feeder and spreader.

Fig. 8 is a rear elevation thereof.

Fig. 9 is a skeleton sectional view taken along the line 99 of Fig. 2ldoking towards the drive mechanism for the apron with the'sidewall of thebody removed.

with said upper beater 58, so that said heaters Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view through I the apron drive mechanism, taken along' the line NI -4110f Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a rear elevation of the lower-beater Iprferably employ.

Fig. 12'is an end elevation thereof;

In the drawings, wherein like characters of I reference generally indicate like parts through-- out; 20 generally indicates a power actuated trailer load feeder and spreader constructed.- in accordance with my; invention.

Broadly; myinvention includes a loadreceiviilgbody '22, having I a continuous apron conveyor 24mounted to move over and under the base-25' ofsaidbody, having feeding -means including chai'nmeans 28 movable over said body. A suitable drive shaft 30 is provided fordriving-the apron.

remploy suitable means such as the wheels 32 movable over the terrain to support said body, although it" is obvious that caterpillartracks, sleds or any equivalent type of means may be provided for thispurpose.

'I:al'so provide means 34 to 'couplesaid trailer a power motive vehicle 36 such as thetr'actor- .sfijshpwn:

I: also provide drivemeans for said apron 24.

cemprisinga drive shaft 38 projecting forwardly frcm'said bodyadapted to be coupled to a rotating drive means 40 projecting re'arwa rdlyv from said power-motive vehicle 36.

'Ialso'provide a main drive shaft 42 mounted on said body 22 to extend fromsubstantiallyin front to the rear thereof and I provide slippable drive means 44 operatively connecting said power vehicle drive-shaft-38 to said main drive shaft 42 and'drive' means 46 operatively connecting said main drive shaft with said'apron drivesha'ft 30,

preferably having the variable speed transmis sion'48, reduction gearing 50 and a shearpin 52 therein. 7 a

When the device is also employed as-a spreader-, Ip rovide the lower beater 54 having the drive shaft- 56 detachably mountable-on said bod y 22 and ah-upper beater 58 havin a drive shaft-68 detachably mounted on saidbody 22, and where saidheaters are employed I- modify the drive means so'that it may selectively drive the apron orthe beater or cumulatively drive both together, andfl provide drive means 62 detachablyselem tively'connecting said main drive-shafti42 with said lowerbeater drive "shaft 56 and drive means 64 operatively connecting sald -lower beater E4 54 and 58 may be operated independently of the apron 24 when the transmission 48 is in neutral and the apron 24 may be operated independently of the heaters 54 and 58 when the heaters are removed.

In my preferred embodiment, I specifically construct the parts of my device as follows:

The load receiving body has the base 26, having channels 68 adjacent each side thereof and open portions 10 and 12 at the front and rear thereof respectively, the front wall 14, the side walls 16 and 11 having the downwardly tapered rear ends 18,- and the open rear end 80.

The apron conveyor comprises the endless apron chains 28 riding in said channels 68 on each side of said base 26 and underneath them and spaced horizontal feeding slats 84 joined at intervals to said chain 28 movable over said base 26 in contact therewith;

As means to operatively drive said apron, I

provide/the idler shaft 86 having sprocket'gearst 88 on each end thereof to engage said apronchain 28 mounted on said body 20 andcx-tending across the open front portion 18 ofsaid base,v

1 drive shaft extending through-a side wall 16-, 7

As stated, I employ the cylindrical lower beater 54, the particular construction of which, will be. described later, havingthe beater shaft 56, having thestub 92 projecting beyond the drive end of the beater, having splines 94 thereon and an opposite end 96, having the sprocket gear 98 thereon detachably mounted on the'lowerportion of the inclined rear end 28 0f the opposite side wall 11 opposite from the drive sidewall 16/ namely, the side wall having the drive shaft. 42

mounted along the length thereof. In the specific embodiment shown, I also employ the toothed upper beater 58 having spaced horizontal rows of spikes preferably right triangular spikes.

or other shredding protuberances 99. projecting therefrom and a shaft I00 which may comprise. the stubs projecting from each end thereof, having ends detachably mounted on -the upper portions of the inclined end walls 1815f saidside' walls 16 and H by meansof the split bearingsJQ having the removable portions BI and a sprocket.

I82 on the opposite end thereof. The lower beater may have a similar split bearing I 9. onits' end mounted on the inclined end portionfl'siof the side wall 11.

In the embodiment shown, the drive shaft 38, projecting forwardly from said body, has the V belt pulley I04 mounted thereon adjacentisaid body, said. shaft being supported on the bearing I06 bolted by the bolts I88 to a cross member.

I [0 extending forwardly along th e upper edgeof the front wall 14. Said shaft 38 also has' theuniversaljoint I I2 therein in front ofsai'd' pulley and the end H4 adapted to be coupled-by-the coupling-l IE to a rotatingdriveshaf-t Ml project i'ng rearwardly from said powermotorveh'iclew I In the embodimentshown, I preferably mount the upper drive shaft-42onthe drive sid -wall 1601' said body to eXten-d f-i'om 's'ubs'tantial ly' in" front 'to the rear thereof and having-a V -b'elt pulley l2llmounted thereon in front of Said body 22. Said shaft 42 has the sprocket l22 ir'iounte'd thereon in rear of its wheel32 and a: small bevel: gear I24 mounted on the rear end-thereof. Thev belt means I26 comprise-lone or more v belts connecting the vpulle'y 104-011- the drive-shaft:

38 with the v pulley I20 on' the front end of the side drive shaft 42. While I have shown three V belts for this purpose, it is obvious that'any desired number may be used in accordance with the size of the feeder. I employ V belts for safety bearing I30 in thebody drive side wall I6, having a. splined end I3I opposite the splined end 94 of said lower beater shaft 56 and the bevel gear I32 on the outer end thereof, said bevel gear I32 meshing with the bevel gear I24 on the-rear end of the main drive shaft 42 to provide means for operatively connecting said said beater shaft.

I provide an internally grooved coupling-I34 internally grooved as at I36 for detachably joining said splined shaft ends 94 and |3I together to permit ready removal of said lower beater therefrom after its opposite end has been removed fromthe split bearin I9. v

I provide the chain64 connecting said respective beater sprockets '98 and I62 to operatively connect the upper beater with the lower beater.

I also provide the lower drive means 46 extending rearwardly of a wheel 32. Said drive means comprises a rod I 46 having the sprocket I42 at its front end thereof driven by the chain I44, meshing with the sprocket I22 on the main drive shaft to operatively connect said rod I46 therewith. As stated, said lower drive means comprises a plurality of rods and shafts connected together. The rod I 40 passes into the change speed transmission 48 manually operated by the handle I46. Said change speed transmission is of relatively Well known construction and hassuitable manipulation thereof for low, medium or high and reverse speeds. Power istransmitted therefrom through the drive rod.-I48; projecting rearwardly therefrom. Said drive rod I 48 also has the supplemental driver-0d I 56 in alignment therewith rearwardly thereof connected thereto by the universaljoint I52.

As stated, I also employ a suitable reduction gearin 50 insaid drive means 46. While said reduction'gearing may be of any suitable form, in the embodiment shown it comprises the bevel pinion gear I54 on said rod I50 in mesh with a large bevel gear I56 suitably mounted on a shaft I58, having a spur pinion gear I66 rigidly mounted thereon.

As stated hitherto, I provide additional safety means such as the shear pin 52 connected in the means for operatively connecting said drive means 46 with said apron drive shaft 30. For this purpose, I provide the sleeve I62 suitably keyed by the key I64 to the apron drive shaft 35 having the annular flange I66 on the outer edge thereof.

I also provide the spur gear I68 loosely mounted on said apron drive shaft 30 in mesh with said spur pinion gear H56 and I provide the shear pin 52 connecting said spur gear I68 and flange I66 breakable on excessive loads on said apron.

As stated, I provide a cylindrical lower beater 54 of novel design which functions both as a shredding and spreading beater and eliminates the use of the spreading beater formerly thought necessary in former types of load Spreaders. For this purpose, I provide the cylindrical lower main drive shaft to For this'purpose, I- provide the stub shaft I28 extending through a erably from 20-30, each .spiral row extending shreddin and spreading beat'r 54 which, I in the;

embodiment shown, is provided with the external cylindrical shell, but which may only comprise the frame immediately below the Spades of cylindrical shape for supporting the spades, if desired. Broadly, these comprise spiral rows I'IIIa' and I'Ifla' to the right and I'IIlb and H01) to the left of spades on each side .thereof each spade I72 being attached at an angle from ,the horizontal, preferably at substantially 45 -and tilted backwardly, substantially from the radiaL prefoutwardly from a common central spade I14 to the outer end I'I8 of said beater 54with the spades in the right spirals I'Illa and I'Illa' facing to the right andv the spades in theleft spirals l'l6b and IIllb'facing to the left. In-my pre ferred ,embodiment, I preferably employ -two spaced sets I16 and I16 of the two spaced right and left hand rows IIlla and H01), comprising one series, and the rows HM and H01) compris ing the other series,with each row of each series extending spirally outwardly from a common cen tral spade I74 to longitudinally aligned points I18 on the exterior ends and all spades H2 in each row being equidistant from one another and successively advancing laterally towards the outerfadjacent ends I18, the inner end of the leading edge of one spade member isin substantial circumferential alignment with the outer end of the trailing edge of the adjacent rearwardly disposed spade, as shown in Fig. 11, In my preferred embodiment, one of said rows of spades in each series is provided with extra; spades I15 therein extending in spiral alignment beyond said center spade to. its obliquely opposite row. Each spadeis respectively welded to the cylinder 54 or to the skeleton cylinder 54 .and is preferably provided with the strengthening ribs I84 in the;

rear thereof, preferably at each end thereof. It is obvious that with this construction, the respective, spadesbeing at an angle of45, pro: vide a structure in the nature of a shredding prong which strikes themanure and slits and shreds it prior to catchinga small mass of manure opposite the front surface thereof and hurlr.

ing it outwardly by centrifugal force as the beater is rotated. It is obvious that the faster thebeater; is moved, the more manure will be fed therefronr; It is thus apparent that with this constructiona spade assumes an operating action for achieving both shredding and spreading, and the necessity for a spreading beater is obviated.

In use, the feeder is suitably coupled to its tractor 36 through the medium of the coupling 34 and the drive shaft 38 coupled to the drive means 40 projecting rearwardly from the tractor by means of the coupling II6. It is obvious that with this construction the beaters are immediately rotated unless the power take-off clutch is moved to neutral position. The transmission handle I46 is then operated to set the transmission 48 at the desired speed for feeding the apron 24 and the tractor may be started and the device operated. The speed may be'changed by movements of the transmission handle I46 in use on' stoppage of the tractor. The device will continue to function until the load is fed and spread. A power loader may thenreadily by their respective detachable couplings and the device employed without the beaters. Should it be desired to temporarily run the beaters withaccents out the apron, the variable 7 speed transmission 48 may be temporarily placed in neutral for this purpose;

It is apparenttha-t I have provided a novel type of power actuated trailer lo'a'd feeder which may also be operated-asa spreader,- -if"desired,--

with the advantages described above.

It is understood that any invention is not lirn ited to the specific embodiment shown and that various deviations may be made ther'efrorn with out departing from the spiritand scope ofthe appended clairns; r 7

What I claim is 1'. A cylindrical lower shredding and spreading beater for use in load feeders, having-twcr spaced series of twospiral rows of spades, each spade being attached at substantially 45 from the horizo'ntahand tilted backwards about 20- 30 fromthe radial and having strengthening ribs in therear thereof, each row of'each series extending outwardly from acommon central spade to "substantially longitudinally aligned points on'the outer ends of the cylinder, and all spades being equidistant from each other andsuccessivelyadvancing laterally towards the outer-end substantially its own projection, with thespades-in the right spiral facing to theright and the spadesin the left spiral facing to the left, one of saidrowshaving spades therein ex tending beyond said central spades substantially to the opposite series row.

2; A cylindrical lower shredding and spread= ing beater for use in load feeders, having spaced series of two spiral-rowsof spades, each spade beingatta'ched at the same angle'from the horizontal andtilted backwards substantially fromthe radial, each row of each series extending outwardly from a common central spade to substantially longitudinally aligned-points on the outer endsof the cylinder, with the spadesin the right spiral facing to the right and the spades in the left spiral facing" to -theleft;

3; A cylindrical lower shredding and spread-' ing beater for use in loadfeders, having spaced series of two spiral rows of spades, each spade being attached at substantially 45 from the horizontal and tiltedb'ackwards about 20-30 from the radial, each rowof each series extending outwardly from a common central spade to substantially longitudinally aligned points on the outer ends offthe yiilidea with the padesin the rightspiral facingto the right and the spades in the left spiral facing to the left;

4. A cylindrical lowershreddingand spreadingbeater for use in load feeders; having spaced series of two spiral' rows of spades, each spade being attached at 'a'nangle from the'horizontal and tilted backwards substantially from the radial, each row of each series extending outwardlyfror'n a common central spadeto substantially longitudinally'aligned points on the outer ends of the cylinder, and all spades being equidistant from each other and successively advancing laterally towards the outer edge substantially its ownprojection, with the spades in the right spiral facing to theright and the spades in the left spiralfacing to the left.

5. A cylindricallowershredding and spreading beater-for use in load feeders, having two spiral rows of spades on each end thereof',-each spade being attached at an angle from the horizontal and tilted backwardssubstantially from the radial, each row extending outwardly from a central spade to the outer endsof the cylinder,

with the spades in the right spirals facing to the right and the spades in the left spirals facing tothe left, the inner end of the leading edge ofone spade member being in substantial cir-' cumferential alignment with the outer end of v the trailingedge of the adjacent rearwardlydisa posed spade member;

A. P. STUART GILMORE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file. of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

